thrifty OS mum tips???

LJM

also i too am a great lover of ebay but i wont buy anything unless i have the money from selling in my paypal account also charity shops i love noseing around these great for bargains as are the car boots, if you have things to sell maybe worth looking into some of them

missminx007

cooking-mama wrote: »

Hi missminx007...i have a post about higher welfare,freedom food on the food and groceries shopping forum,im looking for a good supplier,our local Tesco sold it years ago but not now,I can source free range eggs and chickens...or even organic meat(-beef pork),but the organic stuff is way too expensive,but i could afford the fredom food range if i can find it,where do you buy yours?.thanks.

I generally buy from the co op but i did see a programme that said the chicken from the co op and from marks and spencers (its the chicken thats 3 for a tenner at the mo in m&s) is all from the same farm. I bought a fairy big chicken from Sainsburys, it was free range on Sunday, they had 50p a kg off and it was £6.37, im going to make it last 3 meals so it works out more cost effective. My dd loves eggs and always has one a day and eats quite a lot of cheese so im sure she's getting enough protein. Its such a juggle between making sure they are getting what they need to be healthy and not spend a fortune at the same time.
Oh, ive also stopped buying grapes/blueberries and things like that, its the bog standard apples/oranges/pears now unless I see something reduced.

missminx007

karren wrote: »

try tk maxx for shoes ive had some brilliant quality shoes there for half the price but i do stick to clarks for the school shoes.
Ebay is brilliant for clothes bundles and often all like new, then i pass on to mates when my 2 finished as pass the good turn on.
A sack of pots goes a long long way in the winter, so I make cheese and pot pie, soups and loads of cheap warming foods etc, and my 2 fit and healthy so im doing something right, the slow cooker is amazing I do all sorts in there and its brilliant when you have little ones as i prepare the next days tea in the night when im preparing that days tea then it goes in fridge and pop it on before going to early shift and its all sorted when i come home with my 2.

I use the steamer all the time as saves fuel and everything done the same time.

dont pay to go to the huge playzone places the park, library and beaches etc are free and my 2 remember those days out more than anything, wish id known at the time! We picnic in all weathers and kids love it as they get more freedom and they help pack the picninc, my friends laugh as i regularly pack soup etc and off we go in the wellies for adventures in the park etc.

cheese and potato pie sounds gorgeous! How do you make it?

lilmisskitkat

Hi, i've got 2 kids aged 9 & 2 and another due in 6 weeks so hopefully can be of some help!

Meal planning and shoping lists are invaluable, as is a decent sized freezer to freeze batch cooking and reduced items. I try and use my slowcooker when possible to save on energy and also allow me to use cheaper cuts of meat which cook beautifully in there, also use a multi-tier steamer for veggies to save having mutiple pans on the hob. If you have to put the oven on try and use the rest of the oven to make extra bits to make the most of the gas - the other day i had a roast chicken in and made a tray of sausage rolls at the same time which are being used for lunches this week.

DH loves his meat, whereas me and the kids can take it or leave it, we do have it most night but its not the main part of the meal, so i can use better quality but less of it bulked out with veggies. We also have at least 1 pasta night a week and one veggie night and every other week a 'soup and pudding' night - HM soup & HM bread followed by a crumble or pie made with fruit past its best served with custard or bread and butter pud to use up stale bread.

Fruit i tend to only buy basics eg apples, bananas, pears, grapes - nothing exotic unless its in season and therefore cheap. I use the market when i can, prices not hugely different from Asda but the quality is lots better. Dried fruit and tinned fruit (in juice) also count towards the 5 a day, raisins are good for a snack on the go for little ones and fruit past its best can either be whizzed in a smoothie or cooked, pureed and stirred into natural yoghurt or porridge. Carrot/cucumber sticks also good for a snack.

Clothes and shoes, i go twice a year to the Next sale (yes i'm one of the mad ones queing up at 5am lol) and get the next size up for the kids - i find the sale prices reasonable (pk 4 t-shirts for £5 for DS for summer), quality is great and Next stuff is a big seller on ebay when they've outgrown it. Underwear and jammies are Asda/Tesco/Matalan. I also buy bits on ebay using money i've made by selling their outgrown stuff and always have a nosy in the charity shops when in town. As long as they look clean and tidy (at the start of the day al least!) then i'm not fussed on where the clothes come from, i always have comments on how well turned out mine are (DD more than DS lol, hes such a scruff!).

Shoes i wont comprimise on, have to be Clarks/Startrite for their main pair, dont mind cheaper for wellies, slippers, party shoes which get worn for a few hours every once in a while. Try and see if there is a Clarks outlet near you, its a bit hit and miss but sometimes you can get lucky with the size and style you're after at the time, worth a look.

Activites etc, check if you have a sure start childrens centre near you, they run toddler groups and activity sessions when usually only cost 50p\£1 to cover costs. Also parks in the nicer weather for picnics or in the rain for puddle-splashing, check your local library for activites they run - ours runs a baby bounce and rhyme for little ones and a storytime for pre-schoolers plus reading clubs and challenges for school aged kids through the holidays. At home there is painting, playdoh, baking, crafting etc, my DS has his own little brush and mop set and loves to 'help' me.

Hth

Kate xxx

Elsiebunny

Hi, thanks for starting this thread, we are in a similar situation to OP so this will be very useful. I hope you don't mind me asking in here, or if someone can point me to a thread or part of the forum I should ask this, but what do OS thrifty mums think about buying organic for LO? I've been trying to do this, LO is 10 months, I prefer for us all to eat the same so organic is bumping the price up but I know other mums who don't worry about this. I'm just interested in others thoughts really

pinkmami

Also look out for "value" range at supermakets. I buy the OJ, cordial, yogurt pots (like petit filous but less sour), tinned tomatoes, tinned peaches. Aldi coffee is lovely & their nappies are great (so are the face creams!), washing liquid & fabric conditioner are lovely too.

And their chocolate?!? Oh my my my...lush!

kittie2475

Elsiebunny wrote: »

Hi, thanks for starting this thread, we are in a similar situation to OP so this will be very useful. I hope you don't mind me asking in here, or if someone can point me to a thread or part of the forum I should ask this, but what do OS thrifty mums think about buying organic for LO? I've been trying to do this, LO is 10 months, I prefer for us all to eat the same so organic is bumping the price up but I know other mums who don't worry about this. I'm just interested in others thoughts really

In an ideal world I would buy organic but our finances mean that it's just not possible. I source the best i can for the money we have. I wish I didn't have to make the decision based on economics, but hey ho. My DD doesn't seem to be suffering from not having organic. You must do what you feel is best for your little one.

red_devil

cheap fruit from aldi, use poundland and savers. Buy meat from a butcher. Try morning fresh washing powder its a pound and you can always mix it in with some other powder..

lilmisskitkat

Elsiebunny wrote: »

Hi, thanks for starting this thread, we are in a similar situation to OP so this will be very useful. I hope you don't mind me asking in here, or if someone can point me to a thread or part of the forum I should ask this, but what do OS thrifty mums think about buying organic for LO? I've been trying to do this, LO is 10 months, I prefer for us all to eat the same so organic is bumping the price up but I know other mums who don't worry about this. I'm just interested in others thoughts really

I'm one of those who doesn't worry about it, as long as my family is fed well i am fine buying non-organic. Our budget just doesn't stretch to it without taking away from other areas to do so.

I think there was a previous post somewhere (not much help am i?!) that gave examples of how to prioritise buying organically ie meat, eggs and certain fruit/veg and what wasn't as important. An internet search may help find the info. Otherwise if possible go to the supermarket at reducing time (usually evening and sunday afternoons) and pick up what you can in terms of meat, fruit & veg and dairy, ours always has organic produce reduced - the only time i'd buy it.

Kate xxx

Elsiebunny

lilmisskitkat wrote: »

I'm one of those who doesn't worry about it, as long as my family is fed well i am fine buying non-organic. Our budget just doesn't stretch to it without taking away from other areas to do so.

I think there was a previous post somewhere (not much help am i?!) that gave examples of how to prioritise buying organically ie meat, eggs and certain fruit/veg and what wasn't as important. An internet search may help find the info. Otherwise if possible go to the supermarket at reducing time (usually evening and sunday afternoons) and pick up what you can in terms of meat, fruit & veg and dairy, ours always has organic produce reduced - the only time i'd buy it.

Kate xxx

Thanks, I'll do a search for that thread